There will be changes in how police services - and the justice system in general - deals with reports of sexual assaults, said Guelph police chief Jeff DeRuyter.
The Guelph Police Service recently completed an internal review of how it has handled its own sexual assault reports over the recent past.
That review came in the wake of a an extensive investigation by the Globe and Mail newspaper that showed that across Canada 20 per cent of sexual assault complaints to police are eventually determined to be "unfounded."
"I think there will be change. We recognize the challenges and we do need to adapt," said DeRuyter.
The figure for the Guelph Police Service was virtually identical to the national average.
From 2010 to 2014 there were 809 sexual assault complaints made to the Guelph Police Service, with 161 of those complaints eventually determined to be "unfounded."
The ratio for Wellington County OPP was much higher, 34 per cent, or 88 out of 257 reported sexual assaults, were deemed "unfounded."
The internal review showed two things.
First, that there might be some challenges in how cases are classified following an investigation, something DeRuyter said the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs will be addressing with Statistics Canada.
The other is that there are things Guelph Police can do differently - or more of - when dealing with sexual assault cases.
DeRuyter said increased and improved widespread training and continuing to work with community partners at what is best are some of the things that will be done moving forward.
"Sexual assaults are probably the most challenging and sensitive of investigations we have," the chief said.
He said one of the positives that has come out of the Globe and Mail articles is that it has "brought about dialogue and change."
Police forces, he said, are looking both internally and externally at what can be done to improve how sexual assault cases are handled.
Guelph Police have had a dedicated sexual assault unit since 1999.
